The Lead

June 3 to 11, 2010 delegates gather for the Anglican Church of Canada’s General Synod. Once again they are considering the topic of sexuality. Janet Marshall, chair of General Synod’s Faith, Worship, and Ministry Committee, sets up the discussion with a piece covering what's happened since GS2007, and the plans for GS2010. An extract:

In planning for how to frame this synod’s debate on sexuality, the Council of General Synod considered what have we have learned from our work and journey thus far. The simple fact is that we don’t agree.
In light of the work of our theologians and church leaders, synods, pastors, interest groups, and the parish and diocesan groups that have studied and prayed together, we don’t agree. In light of our heartfelt commitments to the Gospel, to living God’s mission in the world, and to the Anglican Church nationally and internationally, we don’t agree on how to resolve our issues regarding sexuality. And we are well practiced in our disagreements. Our suspicions of each other are high as we once again take our sides and prepare for the next debate. Within this context no motion can come to the floor of General Synod without the suspicion of bias or manipulation.

We don’t agree—and what is at stake is sustaining a community within the context of a complex and conflicted argument about its moral life. This has shaped the Council of General Synod’s decision of how to bring the sexuality discussions to GS 2010. The result is a process that will allow for conversation and listening first, before putting forward a motion. Members of synod will participate in a set of discussions. The content of these discussions will be used to shape the resolutions that will then come to the floor.

Read it here.

The agenda for General Synod 2010 includes six "Sexuality Discernment" sessions over the course of the meeting.

Resolutions before General Synod are here. Under A137: Anglican Communion Covenant "a recommendation regarding adoption of the Covenant for the Anglican Communion" would be brought to General Synod no earlier than 2013. Under "background information" it states,

Three key areas were clarified [final Covenant text circulated under cover letter from the General Secretary, Canon Kenneth Kearon]:

First, was clarification about the meaning of the word, church. This clarification was necessary because of expressed concerns that anyone could claim to be an Anglican church and then sign up to the Covenant, in effect opting themselves into the Communion.

The second key area addressed was the completion of the change in tone from the juridical to pastoral and relational.

The third key clarification dealt with who was to manage and administer the Covenant. In successive drafts this has changed from the Primates meeting (Nassau) to the ACC (St Andrews), the Joint Standing Committee of the Primates and the ACC (Ridley Cambridge) to The Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion (Ridley Cambridge revised). This is significant in that the Primatial members(4) are nominated by the Primates Meeting and the remainder are elected by the ACC. The overall operation of the Standing Committee functions under the Constitution of the ACC. This change resolves one of the key concerns raised by Canada and a number of other provinces at ACC 14.

Additionally, the final Covenant text makes it clear that “Nothing in this Covenant of itself shall be deemed to alter any provision of the Constitution and Canons of any Church of the Communion, or to limit its autonomy of governance.”

Comments (7)

I have to agree with some of the comments made at the end - YAWN. Can't we just agree to disagree? These meetings don't change minds, just remind each other of how different each viewpoint(s) is.

The only way for the inclusive side to "win" is when the "non-inclusive" side actually meets GLBT couples that exemplify the love of Christ and when the inclusive side can better explain how these relationships are not against Holy Scripture.

Posted by E Sinkula | June 2, 2010 10:41 AM

The article about "human sexuality again", has a large measure of spin. The "process" designed for use at the next GS appears to be a reactionary containment strategy. First there is significant division within Canada's small House of Bishops (about 45 bps. in 30 dioceses). A number of urban based dioceses (Montreal, Ottawa, Huron or London, Niagara, and in a qualified way T.O.) have approved same sex blessings. The previous GS voted in the orders of clergy and laity to approve a local option to bless same sex unions, but it was vetoed by a two vote margin in the House of Bishops. There appears to be a worry that another debate at GS next week would produce a similar result and pry open the fault lines. Finally, the previous GS directed Canada's national executive to develop an amendment to the marriage canon opening marriage up to same gender couples--this is the civil law in all of Canada now. This sent the executive committee (CoGS)into crisis. They dropped the ball. So, the plan seems to be , controlled conversation, keep sex on the "back burner" and shine the light over here on how committed we are to justice and the wider world. I hope Episcopal Cafe will have someone at GS in Nova Scotia to lend a critical eye to the in house dailies and media reports that will be released.

Posted by Rod Gillis | June 2, 2010 1:57 PM

@Rod, we will be watching from afar. Some closer to the action who will be worth following are,

http://emminence.blogspot.com/

IntegrityCanada will be at GS as it has since 1989.

We'll share other sources once they become known to us.

Posted by John B. Chilton | June 2, 2010 4:29 PM

John, I don't know, GS 2010 is in Halifax, just a couple of hrs and a direct flight out of Newark ( : Glad to hear you have the ability to tap into "other voices" besides the official ones. Also, the PB is scheduled to address the Synod. Watch for that.

Posted by Rod Gillis | June 2, 2010 6:32 PM

Anyone interested in the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada, opening tomorrow, can get info and a live feed by visiting this official page.
http://www.anglican.ca/index.php

Posted by Rod Gillis | June 3, 2010 8:02 AM

The Diocese of Huron (London, Ontario is the See) is not one of the Canadian Dioceses that Bless Same Sex Unions. What Huron's Bishop has put in place is the opportunity for a Eucharistic service of celebration which does not include a nuptual blessing or exchange of vows. This comes directly from a House of Bishops understanding of a Pastoral Response. This is simply to clarify an earlier comment.

Posted by Keith Nethery | June 3, 2010 10:58 AM

Regarding the post from Keith Netherly, who is listed on the website as the media officer for Huron, The Diocesan Synod of Huron voted in 2008 by a significant majority, to ask the diocesan bishop to allow conditional blessings of same sex unions.
The current pastoral policy on the matter is available on the website of the diocese. One may discern the current state of the question, including the finer points of what is and is not a nuptial blessing, by viewing the description of the authorized rite available there. go to
http://www.diohuron.org/what/episcopal/samesex.php

Posted by Rod Gillis | June 3, 2010 3:15 PM

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